Directions For New IGaging Planer DRO

[Mike Chalmers]

Had a 12" IGaging DRO on my planer for several years. Accidentally broke it, and replaced it with the new version, the EZ View DRO Plus. As usual, the supplied directions absolutely suck, and I am having a problem achieving what I want. All I want is to set the preset, and have it activated. I have no problem actually setting the preset, that is achieved the same way as it did in the old version. My problem is having the value I inserted become the value I see on the screen. I eventually get it right, however, I am never sure what action I took to get it there. After I exit the preset update mode, the screen goes to, I believe, the incremental mode. Pressing the INC button does not take me to the value I just inputted, something else comes up, I have no idea where the value came from. I then press the 0 button, and I will, sometimes, get the value displayed I am looking for. I find it quite frustrating, and have googled the issue every way I can think of, but have not found any definitive guide.
Anyone figured out the new devices?

[Bill Space]

I hope you get an answer! I just went through the same scenario when i
needed to make a slight adjustment to what the display was showing on mine. Had to change the preset.

Somehow accomplished it but don’t know what I did to finally make it happen.

Took me several tries...

[glenn bradley]

I don't know if I am answering your question or not. The iGaging doesn't have the little setting step like a Wixey so "zeroing" is actually accomplished by setting a known value, yes?

With the DRO not calibrated to any particular value I plane some material and measure the result, let's say 1-9/16".
I then zero the display and detach the traveler mount so that I can move the traveler without moving the part of the machine that it attaches to.
I move the traveler (which is now zeroed) till it reads 1-9/16" (or 1.5625").
I zero the display again and move the traveler back until it reads 1-9/16" in the other direction. This returns the traveler to where it was BUT, the display now reads the correct value.
Reattach the traveler to the part of the machine that moves it and you're all set.

[Bill Space]

Glen,

With the iGaging DRO, you plane a piece and measure the thickness. This measurement becomes the preset number.

You enter the thickness you measured (the preset) into the iGaging display, which sets that value as the position of the sensor head at that point in time and space. This works quite well, without having to make any physical adjustments, other than setting the planer head to a position that will cut the wood.

The problem that Mike and I (and probably many others) have is that it is not clear what the keystrokes (actually button pushes) are to make this happen. After trying several times, at least in my case, it seems possible to end up having the unit accept the preset number, but it becomes a “WOW, it finally worked” moment.” Followed by a “what did I do to get it to take the preset???” moment.

Then everything works fine until there is a need to change or enter a new preset number, at which time it becomes a struggle again, because you never figured out how you got the preset to be accepted previously. But eventually you succeed again, without understanding what you did to make it happen.

I assume Mike’s experience is similar to what mine has been.

It it would be nice to know the exact sequence of button pushes required to make the unit accept the preset number. As it is now, once you get the preset number into the unit, you don’t want to mess with it anymore, for fear you will mess it up and not easily get things resolved a second time.

Bill

edit: I said after trying several times, but in fact it may take many, many tries, depending on how lucky you are...

2nd edit: I think my issue was the same as Mike's. Getting the display to work properly. Like I said, it gets frustrating, and once you get it to work properly you don't remember what you did to make it work properly...

[Mike Chalmers]

Not only is it frustrating, it is purely unprofessional how the whole concept of instructions and support for the product has been ignored. One of the buttons is labelled "Set". What it does is a mystery.
I must say, fairly typical of products straight from the orient with no North American intermediary. I know it states they are in California, but it is obvious that location does not do anything about the lack of proper grammar, clarity of explanations, or relevance of the instructions.

[Richard Galloway]

Just installed one of these units on my planer, did either of you ever figure out a way to make the preset work? My planer only goes down to 3/16" but don't want that to be "zero"...

[Kevin Jenness]

Somehow accomplished it but don’t know what I did to finally make it happen.


What he said. I had one and it finally, mercifully, died. If you want a reliable precise dro get one from Accurate Technologies.

[Richard Galloway]

While I do want a more accurate readout than the mostly worthless rule on the machine gives, I'm not sure I'm willing to spend $400 for one of the Accurate Technologies versions either. If I was a more commercial venture, it might work out, but I'm just a woodworker in my two car garage. Thank you for the option though.

Richard

[Curt Harms]

I have an iGaging DRO on a Jet Jointer-Planer. I did this several years ago when iGaging was new, to me at least. The only mounting parts included were two pieces to hold the 'stick' to whatever it was being mounted to. This is what I came up with and it works well. I started out with a stick of hardwood the same width as the planer table and about 5/8" thick. Mounted a T nut with the base countersunk slightly on the side of the stick that gets fastened to the planer table. I adhered the painted stick to the edge of the planer table with silicone adhesive.

The second piece was a bit of hardwood with two holes and each end made slightly thinner than the center, maybe an 1/8" or so. The two faces that meet one another get 220 grit sandpaper stuck in places with spray adhesive so they grip the metal strap that moves the iGaging traveler. The metal strap was a bit of sheet metal that was thick enough not to flex when the planer table moves the iGaging traveler but thin enough to be able to bend easily. See the pic for how everything goes together, it's pretty simple I think.

To adjust the readout so it matches the planer's thickness setting, I plane a piece of scrap and measure the thickness with an accurate micrometer. I let the metal strap stick through the wood clamp assembly a little bit less than the thickness of the planed piece.

Zero the DRO's display.

Move the metal strap through the wooden 'clamp' until the display reads the same as the planed piece of scrap. At this point the metal strap should not stick above the wooden 'clamp' mechanism. Tighten the two bolts, you shouldn't have to kill 'em, just tight enough that the metal strap doesn't move in the wooden clamp mechanism. The sand paper should help with that.

Done.

This has to be repeated when the batteries have to be replaced in the display, every 2 years or so but it only takes a few minutes.